CANADIAN POLITICS:

RESCIND THE BAN ON GEORGE GALLOWAY:

The horribly "dangerous" goof pictured to the left is British MP George Galloway. He was been expelled from the British Labour Party after more than one occasion of making kissy face with any number of dictators. At present he masterminds (if that word is applicable) a very minor English political party called 'Respect'. Respect is devoted to squaring the circle by trying to create the illusion of a coalition between jihadists and leftists.

That's all fine and good. Goofier things have been tried by many others besides "rubber man" pictured above. What makes this situation unique is that GG has been banned from entering Canada by our Conservative government. On the grounds of "being a threat to Canada's national security". Well, I doubt that the leftist court jester pictured above is a threat to anyone's security. I also have no doubt that he is just as much a thug as he has been portrayed as. Being disgusting, however, is a far cry from being a national security threat.

The following is a story from the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, come to Molly's attention via the Statewatch website. Molly agrees with this, without any illusions about Mr. Galloway's character. To my mind this is a direct attack on freedom of speech and little else. It shows the desires that lurk within the federal Conservative caucus.

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Press Release: British MP banned from Canada: Ottawa must reverse shameful decision:

OTTAWA – March 20, 2009 – The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group is calling on Ottawa to reverse its decision and allow well-known British MP and peace activist, George Galloway, to enter to Canada.

“The Canadian minister for Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney has the discretionary power to issue a permit allowing Mr. Galloway to enter Canada,” said Roch Tassé, national coordinator for the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group. “Barring a British member of Parliament who doesn't share our government's views is embarrassing and shameful: this is clearly censorship and an attempt to stifle freedom of opinion and freedom of speech.”

A minister's spokesman told reporters in the U.K that the Respect MP is inadmissible on national security grounds because of his views on Afghanistan and the presence of Canadian troops there. He warned that he would be turned away if he attempted to enter the country.

Galloway is due to speak at a public forum Resisting War from Gaza to Kandahar, hosted by the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, at a downtown church on March 30, 2009.

Responding to the news, the MP said he would fight the ban: “This decision, gazetted in Rupert Murdoch’s Sun, is a very sad day for the Canada we have known and loved – a bastion of the freedoms that supporters of the occupation of Afghanistan claim to be defending.” Please see full story at:http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/20/george-galloway-banned-canada

The ICLMG is a pan-Canadian coalition of civil society organizations that was established in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. The coalition brings together 38 NGOs, unions, professional associations, faith groups, environmental organizations, human rights and civil liberties advocates, as well as groups representing immigrant and refugee communities in Canada.

Information : Roch Tassé – 613-241-5298